Norms of compulsory packaging of commodities in jute material

Norms of compulsory packaging of commodities in jute material. 100% of Foodgrains and 20% of total Sugar production to be packed in jute packaging material

MINISTRY OF TEXTILES

ORDER

New Delhi, the 30th November, 2018

S.O. 5878(E).—Whereas, the Central Government under sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Jute Packaging Materials (Compulsory Use in Packing Commodities) Act, 1987 (10 of 1987) (hereinafter referred to as the said Act) is empowered to specify the commodities or class of commodities or such percentage thereof to be packed for the purpose of its supply or distribution in such jute packaging material by an Order, after considering the recommendations of the Standing Advisory Committee;

And, whereas, the Central Government, in exercise of powers conferred under sub-section (1) of section 4 of the said Act, has constituted the Standing Advisory Committee vide number S.O. 255(E), dated the 27th January, 2016, to recommend the norms of packaging in jute material;

And, whereas, the Central Government, after considering the recommendations made to it by the Standing Advisory Committee, is satisfied that it is necessary in the interest of production of raw jute and jute packaging material, and of persons engaged in the production thereof, to specify the commodity or class of commodities and percentage thereof to be packed in jute packaging material.

Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3 read with sub-section (1) of section 16 of the Jute Packaging Materials (Compulsory Use in Packaging Commodities) Act, 1987 (10 of 1987), and in supersession of order number S.O. 1024(E), dated the 9th March, 2018, except as things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Central Government hereby directs that the commodities specified in column (2) of the Table below, shall be packed in jute packaging material for supply or distribution, in such minimum percentage as specified in corresponding entries in column (3) of the said Table, with effect from the date of publication of this notification in the Official Gazette, up to 30th June, 2019, namely:-

TABLE

Sl. No.

Commodities

Minimum percentage of total production of commodity or class of commodities required to be packed in jute packaging material manufactured in India from raw jute produced in India

(1)

(2)

(3)

(i)

Foodgrains

*Hundred per cent. (100%) of the production

(ii)

Sugar

**Twenty per cent. (20%) of the production

* Initially ten per cent. of the indents for foodgrains would be placed through reverse auction on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal.**In diversified jute bags under direct purchase by the procuring agencies from the mills or open market.

2. Procurement of jute bags for packing of foodgrains through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal shall be initiated on trial basis.

3. To begin with, ten per cent. of the indents shall be placed by the State Procurement Agencies through reverse auction on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal.

4. To the extent jute mills fail to supply through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal bidding within the permissible thirty days, the Ministry of Textiles shall allow upfront dilution of mandatory packaging norm and the allocation formula for the Production-cum-Supply Orders shall be modified to incentivise participation of jute mills in the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal.

5. In case of any shortage or disruption in supply of jute packaging material or in case of any other contingency or exigency, the Ministry of Textiles may, in consultation with the user Ministries concerned, allow further dilution of packaging material up to a maximum of thirty per cent. of the percentage specified in column (3) of the said Table.

6. In case the Procurement Agencies do not place indents for jute bags to pack foodgrains as per supply plan prepared by Department of Food and Public Distribution and bunching of demand (indents) takes place then the jute mills shall get reasonable additional time for the supply of jute bags; provided that if the mills fail to supply the bags in the extended period, the conditions relating to dilution shall be applicable.

7. The following may be kept out of the purview of reservation under the said Act:-(a) sugar fortified with vitamins;(b) packaging for export of commodities;(c) small consumer packs of ten kilograms and below for foodgrains and twenty-five kilograms and below for sugar;d) bulk packaging of more than one hundred kilograms; ande) sugar packed for export but which could not be exported on the basis of an assessment and recommendation by Department of Food and Public Distribution.

8. To ensure that persons engaged in production of raw jute and jute packaging material are benefitted from the mandatory packaging, a suitable mechanism shall be devised for enabling payment of statutory dues to jute workers and prompt payment to jute farmers and balers on procurement of raw jute.

9. The mechanism referred to in paragraph 8 shall include obtaining periodical certification from the Labour Department of the State Government concerned on statutory payments to workers and self-certification from the mills on prompt payment for raw jute supplies.